Origin
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Greeley, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
63 mi
101 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Greeley, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward trip through the Mountain West, the 63-mile stretch between Aurora and Greeley is an efficient choice. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 18 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a quick day trip. With a fuel budget of roughly $10, it is an economical excursion that connects these two Colorado hubs without requiring an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize Peña Boulevard, the Heartland Expressway, and County Road 49 to navigate between these points. Because the route is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time based on your own schedule rather than fighting fatigue. It serves as a practical, no-nonsense connection for travelers moving between these two distinct areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| County Road 49 | 22 mi | 25m |
| Heartland Expressway | 15.4 mi | 15m |
| Peña Boulevard | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| E-470 | 6.4 mi | 6m |
| East 18th Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| I 225 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 8th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
County Road 49
— 22 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Greeley, CO.
1
Start on North Vaughn Street
80 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
2
Turn right onto Toledo Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Toledo Street
3
Turn slight right onto East 10th Avenue
257 ft
·
16 sec
·
East 10th Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Potomac Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Potomac Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on North Fitzsimons Parkway
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Fitzsimons Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto East 17th Place
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 17th Place
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 225 North
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 225
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 225
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 East: Limon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 70
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Peña Boulevard
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Peña Boulevard
Exit 284
Toward Denver International Airport
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 6
Toward E470 Toll: Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
16
Merge onto E470
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
E-470
Use the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 35
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto I 76
15 mi
·
15 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto CR 49
22 mi
·
25 min
·
County Road 49
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn left onto East 18th Street
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 18th Street
Use the left lane.
22
At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Avenue
Use the right lane.
23
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
10th Street
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto US 34 Business
503 ft
·
16 sec
·
10th Avenue
Use the right lane.
25
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street
Use the left lane.
26
Turn left onto 19th Avenue
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
19th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Aurora, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 11.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East 17th Place
Turn right onto East 17th Place
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 East: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 East: Limon
8
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Peña Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto Peña Boulevard toward Denver International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 284
Toward Denver International Airport
8
10.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
8
11.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward E470 Toll North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.49 one way
$18.98 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $10.05 | $20.10 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.90 | $21.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.91 | $27.82 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.77
E-470
(6.4 mi)
$0.77
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.82 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Greeley, CO
Late night in Greeley on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Brighton, CO
32 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
33 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This 63-mile journey offers a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate haul. You will find that only 27 percent of the trip is spent on highways, meaning the majority of your time is dedicated to navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 22-mile segment on County Road 49, which provides a bit of consistency before the road profile shifts again. Because of the local nature of the route, stay alert for frequent turns and changing road conditions. It is a drive that requires your active attention, ensuring you remain engaged with the road throughout the duration of your trip.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22 mi on County Road 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near East 17th Place.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63 miles you will encounter 23 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (East 17th Place): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (Peña Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Aurora, CO and Greeley, CO, road signs point toward Denver International Airport, E470 Toll: Fort Collins, E470 Toll North: Fort Collins and E470 Toll North.
Denver International Airport
4.1 mi in
|
~7m
|
via Peña Boulevard
E470 Toll: Fort Collins
10.6 mi in
|
~15m
E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
10.7 mi in
|
~15m
E470 Toll North
11.3 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 63 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22 miles on County Road 49. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.77 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Greeley, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (East 17th Place): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (Peña Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Greeley, CO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Greeley, CO
More trips to Greeley, CO
Explore more options from Aurora, CO or browse trips ending in Greeley, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.